[Editor’s Note: For our regular roundtable feature, we've shifted things a bit. Instead of asking one group a single question, we’ve asked multiple questions of two teams of communicators. As PRNEWS prepares to honor excellence with its Platinum Awards in the fall, we asked questions of the 2018 winner and honorable mentions in the Platinum PR Person of the Year category. And as we’re in the midst of this year’s Social Shake-Up in Atlanta, the second group of questions is directed at select social media specialists scheduled to speak at this year’s show. The questions and edited responses are below.]
The Platinum Honorees
Stacy Rawls
CCO
KFC
PRNEWS: What qualities are most important for today’s communications leaders?
Stacy Rawls: I recently took on the role of chief communications officer at KFC. It is a new position for the brand, intended to develop KFC’s business narrative as well as lead its external and internal communications.
Possessing a deep level of expertise in the communications field goes without saying–you must have the requisite skills, knowledge and attributes to perform in a communications role.
Be an Influencer...
An even more critically important quality for any communications leader is the ability to influence. Communication is the thread that enables an organization’s leaders to create a culture of trust with employees. It also is a consistent voice wherever people (employees and customers alike) see or interact with your brand.
No one is a bigger steward of a company’s culture, vision, values and goals than the company’s communicators. Owning that narrative begins with the ability to advise and influence the top leaders in an organization.
Though all business leaders communicate on a daily basis, it takes a different level of communications experience to engage and empower employees, shape a business narrative, and manage a company’s reputation. Leaders across an organization can benefit from the communicator’s expertise, but that starts with a communicator who knows how to engage with and influence stakeholders so they’ll be open to the his or her perspective and guidance.
...And an Analytical Storyteller
To be an excellent communicator, it’s also important to be an analytical storyteller. Storytelling always has been at the heart of PR and communications. And as the lines between communications and marketing blur–and as digital marketing becomes increasingly important for driving business results –blending an analytical mindset with a knack for storytelling becomes a superpower for communications professionals.
Jon Sullivan
Director, Corporate Communications
Aflac
PRNEWS: At a time when technology is prevalent, how can communicators ensure that customers still feel a brand’s human touch?
Jon Sullivan:Can a robot console an angry customer or a chatbot discuss investment strategies? As technology assumes a greater role, it is imperative that communicators recognize its limitations. Aflac, like many companies, is undergoing significant transformation, and how that is communicated to customers, shareholders and our workforce is crucial. Here are three things to think about:
- Understand that people, not a machine or an app, are the source of brand empathy for stakeholders.
- Remember, technology scares people, particularly employees concerned about their future.
- Pick up the phone from time to time. Technology is impersonal. Conversations, or face-to-face interactions, build relationships.
Adam Ritchie
Principal
Adam Ritchie Brand Direction
PRNEWS: What excites you about the future of PR and communications?
Adam Ritchie: PR is moving beyond storytelling and into authorship. We’re changing how PR is practiced and using it to drive product and service development. In addition, we’re pushing the limits of what brands expect from PR. Integration used to occur within the organization. Today it’s happening within the individual.
It’s also exciting that the world’s smallest PR teams are having an impact equal to the world’s largest. Earned media is coveted and companies are trusting PR to come up with ideas that are carried across disciplines. We’re living at a time when we get to be relentlessly creative.
Esther-Mireya Tejeda
SVP, Head of Corporate Communications & PR
Entercom
PRNEWS: What qualities are most important for today’s communicators?
Esther-Mireya Tejeda: We need to be quick and authentic. The speed at which information moves is at an all-time high, and it is increasing with the growing importance of social media, podcasts and other direct-publish platforms. To be effective communicators, we need to react to business issues as they arise, quickly and effectively. We no longer have the luxury of time. Narratives will be shaped and stories will be told without us if we are not present when they are happening.
It is not enough to simply be nimble, however. We also have to be authentic. Along with the increase in speed comes a rise in accountability. Audiences everywhere expect that businesses will perform in ways that are honest and transparent. What we do and what we say as business leaders and communicators is held to a much higher standard than ever, and so we need to ensure truth in our work.
It is an unfortunate old trope that PR professionals are spin artists. In reality, especially now, we are tasked and expected to be gatekeepers and truth-tellers who ensure businesses are accountable, and live up to the standards that they have promised.
Speakers from the Social Shake-Up
Lindsay Bumps
PR Media Maven
Ben & Jerry’s
PRNEWS: Who are you most interested to hear from during the Shake-Up?
Lindsay Bumps:I’m excited to hear from influencers. I’m curious to hear what works well for them, what they want more of and how Ben & Jerry’s can be more impactful with our influencer program.
Nicole (Carlone) Losi
Director, Social Media
Kent State University
PRNEWS: What changes do you expect regarding managing crises on social media and how are you preparing for those changes?
Nicole (Carlone) Losi: As the digital and social space continues to evolve, we’ll see more brands investing in social media listening tools and using a variety of social media platforms for crisis communication. Through social listening, we’re able to discover problems before they become crises.
We can prepare by staying up-to-date with platform changes and by making social media an integral part of our crisis communications strategy, not just for responding but for monitoring as well.
Kelly Stone
Senior Director, Global Social Media
Comptia
PRNEWS: What should communicators be thinking about in terms of social media measurement?
Kelly Stone: To win the game of social media, practitioners need a sure-fire way to translate analytics into money, both earned and saved. Executives may not necessarily understand the difference between impressions and reach and views, but they’ll respect how you’ve impacted the bottom line. At the end of the day, we’re all trying to make a living. Speaking the common language of money makes you a valuable asset to your organization.
Danielle Brigida
Acting Deputy Director of Digital Strategy
U.S. Department of the Interior
PRNEWS: How can you be successful on social media with a modest budget?
Danielle Brigida: Engage the community. Remember the community can be one of your strongest assets when it comes to generating ideas and creating content. You may not have a large budget, but if you have time to empower and engage your community, you can see amazing results. As we know, a large part of social media is about community. Interacting with the community is one reason I’m looking forward to the Social Shake-Up. I’m always interested in hearing about new, creative ways to share the beauty of the natural world. I’m excited to be amongst practitioners at Shake-Up who bring a different skill set than I do, that I can learn from!
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